Baseball game apparatus



Dec. 28, 1948. H A. MARKUSSEN I BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 21, 1948- HTTORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Halfdan August Markussen, Hempstead, N. Y.

Application January 21, 1948, Serial No. 3,461

This invention relates to game apparatus,.and

more particularly to apparatus, for use on a table or the like for playing a game based upon baseball. One object of the invention is the provision of a novel and effective means for batting the ball on to the field, that is, for impelling the ball by the player whose chance it is to be at bat. As any desired or suitable scoring system may be applied to the game as played with the apparatus of this invention, it is not believed necessary to go into detail regarding the subject of scoring.

Another object of the invention is the provision of members mounted in spaced positions against the enclosing wall of the game board, which may be considered equivalent to the fence around the playing field, which are adapted to stop a ball which has been impelled on to the field and to restrain it from further movement around the field, and this feature may be utilized as the basis of a scoring system.

The above as well as additional objects will become apparent in the following description, wherein characters of reference refer to likenumbered parts in the accompanying drawing.

It is to be noted that the drawing is intended for the purpose of illustration only, and that it is neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details of construction shown excepting insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus as it would appear mounted on a table, not shown.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fi 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates a. flat board or the like, which may, and preferably would, be suitably marked to simulate a baseball field. The board It) is surrounded and enclosed by a fence comprising the two side walls II, the outer wall I2, and the inner wall I3.

The wall l3 has an arcuate cut-out Hi thereby providing a concave upper edge thereon, which edge is gouged out or concavely rounded to provide a groove or raceway l5. A ball 16 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-) 2 is adapted to be released after being set on the raceway I5 near one end of the latter, whence it will roll down the raceway past the midpoint thereof. For a reason presently to be stated, the raceway may be provided with a hump ll at the said midpoint.

Secured in upright position against the outside of the wall It by means of screws I8, is a support or block I!) which has a bore 20 therethrough at a level above the lowest level of the raceway IS; the block I9 is positioned at about the said midpoint, or lowest point, of the raceway. A peg 2| whose outer end 22 is enlarged and whose inner end or tip 23 is rounded, is slidably mounted in the bore 20. A longitudinal slot 24 extends through the peg intermediate its length. A hole 25 extends through the block ill from the upper edge thereof to the bore 20, and a pin 26 is slidably mounted in this hole and extends through the bore 20 into the slot 24. A coiled spring 21, which surrounds the peg 2| between the block l9 and the peg end 22, normally urges the peg to the right, Fig. 3, that is, to draw the rounded end of the peg into the bore 20. The pin 26 obviously serves as a limit stop to the said movement to the right of the peg.

The ball l6, rolling down into position in front of the tip of the peg, is impelled onto the board or field ID by being projected or impelled as the peg is suddenly pushed forward against the force of the spring by action of the player in striking the end 22 of the peg with his hand. The element of skill arises in the matter of timing, the best skill resulting in projection forward of the peg against the ball at the instant that the ball, in rolling down, becomes aligned with the peg. If, as illustrated, a hump I1 is provided in the groove l5 just in front of the peg 2|, the rolling ball will take a jump just as it reaches the position of the peg, and thus make it more diflicult to strike the ball.

At spaced intervals around the walls H and I2, horizontal loops or wickets may be secured in the walls, as shown at 28 in Fig. 1, spaced above the board H! at a distance about equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the ball l6. Then when the ball rolls along the board as a result of having been impelled by the peg 2i, against a wall H or l2 under one of the wickets 28, the wicket will tend to prevent the ball from moving further and, at least momentarily, retain it in that position. By placing a suitable scoring number above each such wicket, {the player may be credited with that score each time his ball is thus stopped by the wicket.

tudinal groove therein thereby providing a race-' way adapted to have a ball roll down the same when the ball is set thereon above the lowest point thereof, a support mounted on saidwall and projecting above said raceway at the position of mounting of the support, said support having a bore therethrough a right angles to said wall positioned above said raceway at said position of mounting, a peg slidably mountedin said bore, means normally positioning said peg. in said bore so that the end of the peg adjacent the'raceWay is withdrawn into the bore, said peg being adapted to be struck on the other end thereof to force said peg toward said wail whereby said ball in descending the raceway is 4 adapted to be impelled by contact of said firstnamed end of the peg with the ball.

2. The game apparatus set forth in claim 1, said raceway at said position of mounting of said support and hence forward of said bore, having a hump thereon.

3. The game apparatus set forth in claim 1, said means comprising an enlarged head on said other end of the peg, a coiled spring surrounding said peg between said support and said head, and limit stop means limiting the outward movement of said peg from said bore.

4. The game apparatus set forth in claim 1, said means comprising an enlarged head on said other end of the peg, a coiled spring surrounding saidpeg between said support and said head,

said peg having a; longitudinal slot therein intermediate its length, a pin slidably mounted in said support at right angles to the axis of said bore and extending into said bore, said pin regist'ering ins'aid slot.

HALFDAN AUGUST MARKUSSEN;

No references cited. 

